Pokémon Mystery Dungeon : Age of Despair
by AlphaAdrianX
Summary: In a continent where a civil war destroys it from within, a Tyrogue struggles to fit himself and find his purpose. As the war rages on, he gains more reason to fight, but as time passes by, everyone around him perishes, and everything he worked hard for is slowly being destroyed.
1. Chase and Run

_**Is it wrong to have ideals that are different from others? Is it wrong for wanting to be different?**_

The sun was angry that day. Its rays radiated to the ground, making the already arid land hotter than before. Rocks made up the entirety of the area, from the jagged path ahead to the two sides that towered above it. They were scattered and sharp, condemning anyone that will carelessly tread on them. Heat was evident from the rising moisture coming from the rocks, and finding shade in this place would be considered a miracle. Skeletons can be seen on the trail, a proof of the danger of travelling through here. This is what Spike Canyon looked like in the morning.

Despite the challenging geography of the place, a traveller and his companion braved through it at a fast pace. They were using a chariot - type of vehicle, with two wheels, wooden sides, and a flat roof that covered it. It is quite small, just enough to fit four Aipoms. The color of deep brown dominated the vehicle, with stripes of gold running along the wheels.

At the front, pulling the vehicle, was a black creature. It strode on all fours, its powerful legs providing thrust. Bolt - shaped stripes adorned it, the same color as its mane : a blinding white. The creature's fur was covered in dirt, and its eyes were bloodshot. Bruises can be seen throughout its body, but despite its condition it continued. Sparks of electricity jumped to the air as the Zebstrika propelled itself faster, creating a trail of dust behind them.

The pokémon inside the chariot braced itself to adjust with the increasing speed. It is purple, with yellow hands, ears and a hand - like tail. It examined the path ahead, using its limbs to stay steady. The path they are now taking curved sharply to the right. Straight ahead lies an instrument of death for any speeding body: a gigantic wall of rock with pointed rocks that stared back at the pokémon. That's bad news for them. "Typstorm! Can we make it!?" the Aipom shouted at the Zebstrika.

Typstorm didn't look back, focused on the challenge ahead of them. "We should! Or all my running will be all for naught!" He was nearly drained of energy at this point, but he knew that he can't stop. Though he can't see it, he was aware of their pursuers, and formidable ones at that, if the chaos they caused weren't enough for proof. He gasped for air, and recalled the events that led to this desperate situation.

 _Aytaro the Aipom was assigned on a surveillance mission by his guild. As a transportation specialist, Typstorm was chosen as his companion, and the Zebstrika obliged, unable to resist the call of adventure. Winding forest trails, steep and jagged canyons, wild grasslands; all of that they passed just to provide information. At first, there were no signs of the enemy, not even a trace. They have covered a wide area, and they were just about to give up when they passed a fire in the forest on the way home. They investigated it and it turned out that it was no ordinary fire, it was a burning village whose inhabits were brutally murdered. There were no survivors, except an unconscious Tyrogue a little far off from the village. A quick discussion resulted with them deciding to take him to their guild and report the incident, but ever since then they got the feeling that they were being followed. Every night they sense their presence and have to quickly move. But they weren't sure how many there were. The two changed their course in hopes of losing them, but it just confirmed their existence, with few minor attacks, and Typstorm has been on the run since then. And now.._

The Aipom braced itself for support, getting ready for the dangerous curve. One wrong move , one miscalculated step will result in their deaths. Aytaro could hear his heart beating in excitement and fear. The curve came closer. Fifteen meters. Aytaro can see the wicked spikes welcoming them. Ten. Typstorm's speed doubled. Five. Aytaro winced as something hit the back, shaking the vehicle a little. Two!

With a rapid movement of his legs, Typstorm quickly bolted to the right. The chariot didn't change its direction, continuing on the original path and in an instant; Aytaro's face was an inch away from the sharp rocks. All the color was drained out of him. He thought that it was his end, but he was thrown to the sides as the vehicle is suddenly pulled from another direction, avoiding the killer wall with pure luck. The chariot's left side was destroyed by the rocks as it scraped the rough surface. Fortunately the wheel is still intact. And despite those complications Aytaro was thankful of Typstorm who, after the rapid turn, had managed to make an amazing pull to save his companions still ran.

Aytaro sighed in relief. Trickles of sweat rained down from his face. His heartbeat was fast, and he struggled to control the sweat falling down his face. Typstorm wasn't any better. But they have survived the turn. Now that's one problem out of their way. He eyed the unconscious figure beside him who was still out cold, unaware of what's happening around him.

Their relief came crashing down when a strong electric current destroyed the remains of the chariot, the blast creating a shockwave that threw them on the ground. Typstorm reared and turned, his eyes wide and mouth hung open. The Zebstrika was so surprised at the sudden change of weight and lost control, crashing to the jagged sides of the wall. Even Aytaro was trembling, finding no energy to stand up. The enemies have caught up to them, and they're as helpless as a Magikarp surrounded by electric - types.

Aytaro looked for the origin of the attack. It wasn't from behind, so it must be from above. And he was correct, he saw a Jolteon that towered above the canyon. Its hair was spiked up, sending electric charges to the air. Two eyes stared at the trio, boring holes at their own. It stood up proudly, as if it was a predator that had found an easy and meaty prey. This appearance and stance quickly alerted the Aipom that this was the enemy.

The yellow pokémon smiled at Aytaro, and even if he was brave, that smile sent chills running down his spine. He was feeling very sore now, like he was subjected to an hour of beating from a Machoke. Add to that the factor of being tired and this fight will be impossible to win. He looked around the area - now their battlefield. They were ambushed at a narrow place, with only a few tens of meters until the rocky walls meet. Above him, several rocks - flattened at the side facing the sky - pointed from the sides, and even the ground is housed by some jagged pieces of rocks. Aytaro realized that if they battle the Jolteon, surely one would be killed. And they're still not sure if their enemy has accomplices in hiding. That would be their ticket to the afterlife for his only ally right now was a battered Zebstrika and an unconscious Tyrogue. Not to mention the fact that they were exhausted - low on endurance, speed, and strength.

Time seemed to slow down as he saw the enemy move. His heart started to pound again, matched only by his mind racing with thoughts and plans to defeat it. Pain shot through his body as he stood up. He yelped in pain, but he had to fight so he assumed a battle stance: his hands balled into fists and raised his left foot forward and the tail by his right. "Typstorm, take the Tyrogue and move aside. I'll handle this," he ordered in a hoarse voice.

The fatigued and injured Zebstrika stood up, shaking off the destroyed equipment from his body. Torrents of sweat came down from him, and Aytaro could clearly see him bleeding. "Hell no! You might get killed! Besides I'm still -". A painful sound of bones breaking resonated as one of his front legs collapsed. "Yeouch!"

Aytaro smirked weakly. "See? That's why I told you to stay aside. But can you still stand? I don't want distractions, and that Tyrogue over there is a perfect one."

Typstorm nodded. "Do I have a choice? Good luck." His face folded in frustration when he stood up and walked to the Tyrogue's side. Typstorm paused for a moment, and thought. "Uh, how am I supposed to carry him again?" he asked the Aipom but to no avail. Aytaro was currently occupied, glaring daggers at the enemy.

Time seemed to be in a standstill. The only movement that happened was a few rocks falling from the top. Aytaro and the Jolteon battled for intimidation. Neither one wants to lose. Their glares were so deadly that Typstorm considered not repeating his question.

"Hey! How was I supposed to carry him?! I've no hands!" Typstorm finally questioned, although it was more of a shout.

"Just go!" Aytaro shouted. Right after he said it, three things happened. The Jolteon above made its first move. Typstorm, noticing that the battle had begun, quickly grabbed the Tyrogue with his mouth and ran. The Jolteon leaped from the canyon, which puzzled the Aipom at first, but everything became clear when the enemy landed on one of the flat rocks and leapt once again. _'So he's using the rocks to get here!'_

But this time it didn't land, instead it let itself fall and as it did, the enemy looked anything but scared. Maneuvering in mid -air, it managed to get close to the rocky surface. It made a quick leap, enabling its body to move at a straight path without falling. _'Ah!'_ Aytaro whipped his tail forward, summoning several star - shaped projectiles. The attack targeted the Jolteon, but it was skilled. The Jolteon leapt to the side and completely evedad it. The Jolteon's momentum remained unchanged. _'Damn!'_ Aytaro fired another Swift, which was evaded again, destroying a rock that exploded into a spray of dust. All he got as a result was rubble quickly falling from above, nearly covering the Jolteon like a smokescreen. _'One last try.'_ Aytaro fired; it missed. Instead, it hit the rocks on the Jolteon's side, completely hiding the enemy in a wave of dust.

Aytaro was now fighting an enemy he can't see. He considered sending another attack, but without a specific target he would just waste his stamina. There are no hiding places either, nullifying the chance of any surprise attack. Aytaro drew back near canyon wall behind him. He had to be careful and alert; an attack can come from any direction. He scrutinized the falling dust. The Jolteon should come any second from now. Sparks of electricity shooting out of the dust caught the Aipom's attention, and within an instant the they transformed into bolts. It looked like a thunderstorm, but instead of clouds were dust.

Aytaro smirked when he recognized the attack. _'The disadvantage of Volt Tackle is that you can't change direction. Now I just have to know where it's coming from.'_ He planted his tail on the ground, ready to use it as propulsion anytime.

The seconds that followed were tense, and quickly as a lightning the battle started. The dust storm's center suddenly faded to reveal the enemy. Aytaro reacted quickly to barely avoid the attack by using his tail. The scowl on the Jolteon's face slowly turned into shock as it realized what would happen next. Aytaro didn't waste the opportunity and whipped his tail on the Jolteon, multiplying the damage it would get due to momentum.

The force sent the Jolteon crashing to the canyon wall. The impact created long cracks along the wall that generated loud rumbles. Aytaro, wanting to make sure that he's fighting only one enemy, looked up. No one appeared on the top. _'Good.'_ He heard the Jolteon groan from behind, and when he turned, it was already standing amidst a cloud of dust. "Not a very good entrance wasn't it?", Aytaro teased. The Jolteon's face crumpled to that of anger, with its eyes screaming murder. That told Aytaro that it was provoked. It didn't wait any longer and attacked, charging towards the Aipom. Now, Aytaro expected a physical attack, so what the Jolteon did caught him really off - guard. It released a powerful surge of electricity, and of course, Aytaro didn't manage to avoid. Aytaro howled due to the damage. Getting fried by electricity was extremely bad, especially when one has existing wounds. Aytaro felt his skin becoming numb. _'Once this attack is over',_ he thought, _'I would hammer that Jolteon to the ground.'_

But the Jolteon sustained the Thunderbolt. This wasn't good for the Aipom, he had to do something. It's a little hard to move, but it's not impossible. He tried moving his feet, but that only caused the pain to intensify. That left him with only one option, an attack that was treated like a joke since earlier.

The Aipom sent a Swift out of the blue, surprising the Jolteon. The Jolteon's eyes widened. It was forced to cancel the Thunderbolt, else it would be hit by Aytaro's attack. The Jolteon stepped to the side, intently watching Aytaro. "Where did your companions go?" it hissed in a deep masculine voice.

Aytaro ignored the question and asked, "Why are you chasing us, enemy?" They circled each other, the Jolteon glaring at him, but soon emitted maniacal laugh. Aytaro glared back, gritting his teeth. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry. It's just -" it snorted, "you're asking the reason why I'm chasing you, when you already said that I'm your enemy in the same sentence." The laughter died, the scowl on its face returning. "You want to know the reason?!" It pounced on Aytaro, but the Aipom evaded it. "Its because you saw our activity when we're supposed to keep it secret! I saw you in the forest, and recognised you're from the East. And more than that, you have a survivor in your hands! We're supposed to slaughter them all, no survivors! And I'll be in trouble once you escape. Since you look like you won't let me pass to kill that survivor, I'll just do it after I'm done with you. No one escapes from Villeon alive!"

A clapping sound reverberated throughout the canyon. It was from Aytaro. "Wonderful speech! But now that I know why, I have no reason to turn him in." Aytaro stood using his tail, "I'm sorry to say, but you would fall under the hands of Aytaro!"

A sudden Thunderbolt came from Villeon, but Aytaro's movements were faster and proved to be hard to predict. He moved to the left, to the right, diagonally and vertically. Villeon released another one, and Aytaro jumped high with his tail and used it to send a Swift to the Jolteon while his face displayed a slight grin.

"Stop moving you little prick! I can't hit you!" Villeon shouted as it avoided the Swift. But Aytaro didn't stop, because why would he? Right before him is an enemy who can kill him, so he will have to be paralyzed first to make him stop. Villeon decided to use Quick Attack and in just an instant, he closed the distance between the two. But Aytaro was faster, and the moment Villeon got close, he countered with Double Slap. The Jolteon was hit square in the face, causing him to tumble backwards. This served as an opening for Aytaro, and he tackled Villeon followed by a Swift attack. Villeon's skill served himself merit as he managed to avoid some, but the ones that hit dealt considerable damage. He grimaced in pain and drew back, longing for air. Aytaro laughed, amused at the frustrated Jolteon. This battle might become easy after all.

"Argh!", Villeon shouted in irritation. He charged using Quick Attack again, but to no avail. Right before it hit Aytaro, the Aipom crouched and landed a well - placed counter just beneath Villeon's jaw. That attack resulted in Villeon staggering backwards, howling in pain, again.

Aytaro watched as Villeon struggled to stand. _'I could end this now!_ ', the Aipom thought. But that plan changed when Villeon did what he didn't expect: running away. Of course, the Aipom followed him, but he was confused. Why? Was Villeon tired? But based on what he saw, the Jolteon's just out of breath. That's a sign of tiredness, but he should still be able to attack. _'What's he planning?'_

Villeon suddenly stopped. Aytaro did the same and assumed his fighting stance. Villeon kept his back turned from Aytaro, which can be considered as suicide, but somehow the Aipom's getting a bad feeling about this. Aytaro could attack right now, but with a nearly - depleted stamina and the possibility of missing, he settled on waiting. And for the second time that day, Aytaro was in a standoff with the same enemy.

Sweat was now pouring from Aytaro at this point. The surroundings were no less hot than earlier, and it got hotter every passing minute. Aytaro wiped off the trickling sweat, and this was the moment the Jolteon chose to attack. A sudden and powered Thunderbolt materialized before Aytaro's eyes, and the Aipom was surprised that he only managed to counter it with Swift. The two attacks collided, creating an explosion that covered a wide area.

But Villeon wasn't done yet. A running Jolteon greeted Aytaro when the explosion cleared up. It's a normal tackle, which Aytaro could avoid easily. And he did, just by jumping high in the air. That turned out to be his biggest mistake.

Villeon stopped and smirked. "You can't change direction in the air!" He released an electric surge towards Aytaro, and the Aipom found himself getting electrified the next moment. The attack dissipated afterwards, but Aytaro wasn't delighted. It was a Thunder Wave, therefore he's so screwed now.

He fell to the ground face first. His smile faltered. Millions of thoughts raced in his mind, thinking of how to get out in this situation. _'No, this shouldn't be happening. I was winning, right? Where did I go wrong?'_ Villeon took advantage of his predicament right away. He tackled Aytaro, sending him to the canyon's edge and wounding him. Villeon emitted a low maniacal laugh, and another tackle pushed Aytaro to the pointed rocks, injuring him even more. Some rocks even pierced him

His mouth hung open in shock. His vision was blurred, he can see two enemies before him. He tried to move, but his body won't listen. He could feel the blood slowly flowing out of his body, draining the energy left in him. His sight was getting dimmer every second. All of these told Aytaro that he has no chance of winning now. He was pinned.

Villeon laughed. "Ha! Where's that determination of yours now huh?!" He attacked with Thunderbolt, and Aytaro being unable to retaliate, winced in pain. "Where's that confidence now?!" The Jolteon jumped back. Aytaro's body was shaking, he was uncertain. He should've been more careful. He knew that the enemy is quite skilled, but he got confident and messed up. Now he will meet his end, all just because of his overconfidence.

Villeon continued to move backwards, creating a good space between them. His fur spiked up yet again, bolts of electricity jumping from it. Villeon walked forward, getting faster every second until he was running. And as he did, the electricity around him increased in intensity. It was his first move in the battle, a Volt Tackle. Villeon is sprinting now. His attack was bright, but Aytaro noticed that to his side, something red glowed, matching the attack's luminosity. Something red or orange and it's hot. Was it another enemy? Aytaro wouldn't know. The distance between them decreased. Five seconds away. Three. Two!

The Jolteon's attack came, and Villeon tried to hit Aytaro. He tried, because at the last second before the attack connected, a Flame Charge came from the side, surprising both Aytaro and Villeon. Villeon violently flew to the walls, mopping the ground of rocks. "Arceus!" He crashed on the wall so hard the wall fractured, resulting in falling debris of various sizes - dust, pebbles, rocks - burying him.

Aytaro was frozen from where he lay. What in the world happened just now? For a second, he thought that he was about to die. But then comes his savior who he didn't expect. From where the Jolteon once stood is a quadruped black pokémon. Its mane and stripes were blinding white, and Aytaro could faintly see it smiling. It was Typstorm.

"Say Aytaro, weren't you the one saying that you don't need me? Now look at what happened. If I didn't come you'll be dead by now!" the Zebstrika laughed, proud of himself.

Aytaro was so relieved that to say he's happy was an understatement. But he's drained of energy, so he couldn't do anything. "Must. Get. Guild. They. Know. This," he muttered with difficulty.

Typstorm noticed Aytaro's injuries and immediately acted. "We have to get you treated! This will hurt, but it's the only way." He lowered his head and bit one of his arms without exerting too much force. He lifted Aytaro using it, and slightly threw him on his back, with the Aipom landing front first. Aytaro whimpered in pain. "Sorry! But that's the only way I can put you on my back. I did the same for the Tyrogue, and he didn't complain so you shouldn't too. Anyway let's go!" Typstorm broke into a fast run.

The Zebstrika, wanting his companion to stay awake, told the Aipom of what had transpired after he left. "You know, while you're fighting the guy over there, I ran as fast as I can far away from here. The next terrain is a grassland, and with a stroke of luck, I spotted an Oran Berry tree. I ate as much as I can, then rushed off here. Anyways I placed him under the tree and oh my Arceus we should head there right away!"

But Aytaro wasn't listening. He was thinking of what the Jolteon said earlier. He's chasing them mainly because they have a survivor? Just what is the reason behind that?

Although he can't see Villeon, he knew that he was probably bleeding to death. At least that's what he wanted to happen. As he drifted to unconsciousness, one question remained in his mind. _Was the Jolteon their only pursuer?_


	2. Guild Metallic

Chaos - all he could see was chaos. There was no hope for them anymore, their enemies were merciless. Fire danced everywhere, its orange glow illuminating the dark night. The moon was absent that night, so everyone should've been grateful for the light. But they weren't, because that very same fire was burning them alive. Distorted shadows, both from the helpless villagers and their attackers, loomed the village. The grass cannot even be recognized. It wasn't green anymore; it has turned into a deep crimson.

Nidokings stormed the village. They wore a white chest plate with a golden pawprint in the center, but now it is mostly colored red, and even then it can't be seen clearly in the night. Horrified screams resonated through the air, there were whimpering, and there were requests and begging to stop. But no one heard the villagers. Not a single soul.

In the midst of it all, a Tyrogue was trembling at a corner of a room. His eyes were dilated, and every time he looked around, he can't stop his teeth from clattering. The place he's hiding at is almost ready to collapse. The chairs and table at the center was already being eaten by flames. The same goes for the curtains that hung above the windows and the posters that are pasted on the walls. The bookshelves along the walls were now gone, consumed by the raging fire. As the minutes passed, the whole structure was engulfed in flames. He wanted to move, but he can't. He was afraid. He was trembling. There's nowhere to run; nowhere to hide.

His heart shot to the sky when he heard the sound of someone knocking the place down. Whoever did it was successful, as the walls started to collapse, and soon everything started to crumble.

He can't stay here; he had to hide somewhere else. His knocking knees made it hard to stand up, but there's no time for distractions. The walls of the room were now collapsing, and the fire enveloping them just made it worse. If he stays here any longer, he would die. Or if he managed to survive the fire, the attackers would see him, garnering the same result.

The Tyrogue heard the stomping, indicating the attackers were almost upon him. Wasting no time, he punched the wall behind him. The contact burned his skin, and he gritted his teeth. Debris from the wall were scattered outside, but that's not going to stop him. He dove through the window.

Now, there were several problems with what he have done. First, he was uncertain if there were enemies watching or waiting for him outside; which led to the second problem: he may die. But the Tyrogue is too busy trying to figure out what to do to even notice the possible blunders he may face.

From what he could see, he's at the eastern part of their village, judging from the houses that're burning. He could continue in that direction; he only needed to evade the enemies' eyes. He lowered his body, so that he's now crawling, because it's the best he could do to hide. The reason is that there were no places to hide at all, so he had to make use of the shadows on the ground. As he crawled to the east, he was greeted by a disturbing sight.

A Lopunny and its child lay on the ground. Nothing is quite wrong; except the fact that the two have missing ears and were drenched in their own blood. Just the image of it made him want to vomit, but he needed to move, so he fought the temptation, hoping that he would forget it soon.

To his horror, the Tyrogue heard footsteps coming to his direction. They were heavy and sent vibrations to the ground. He quickly lay on the ground. He had to play dead. He eyed the bodies in front, and even though he was disgusted, he dipped his hand on the blood and covered himself with it. He rubbed it to his abdomen and to his back; to his arms and to his feet. The scent almost made him throw up; it was very nasty and unpleasant.

The footsteps became louder. His heartbeat was so fast that he didn't even know if it was still functioning. He forced himself to stop trembling, and when the source of the footsteps came to his side, his heart skipped a beat.

It was a large Nidoking, wearing a chest plate like the others. Its horns impaled a young Bidoof, creating a large hole in its stomach. The once purple face was now deep red, and the stream of blood stained its wicked smile.

"Pl - plea..se st - st..o.p," the Bidoof protested in a faint voice. It's still alive, much to the annoyance of the Nidoking. The bidoof was getting drained out of blood fast, so the Nidoking concluded that its end was near.

"Alright, I'll stop...after I'm done with you!" it said on a very deep voice. It spun its head around and bobbed it up and down. The poor Bidoof cried, but the Nidoking didn't stop. Instead, it only smiled and laughed, sending chills running down the Tyrogue's spine.

Showers of blood rained on the Tyrogue, covering him. He didn't even want to check out what's happening to the others, knowing that they must be experiencing the same. He didn't want to hear their blood - curdling screams; it's just too much for him. How will he escape now?

He was shaken off of his thought by the sound of a body meeting the ground. He didn't see it, but it's probably the Bidoof. This time, it's him that was scared senseless, if his fear wasn't enough. The Nidoking examined the bodies in front of him. From what it can see, aside from the ones that are surely dead, there was a shiny Tyrogue, covered in blood and doesn't seem to be moving. The Nidoking watched for a second.

'Please buy it, please buy it,' the Tyrogue urged in his head. He was frozen like a rock, his eyes closed from fear. He remained there for a couple of minutes, as did the Nidoking. Somehow, it doesn't seem to be convinced of his act.

This wasn't good for him. If the Nidoking discovered that he's still alive, he's done for. The chances of him surviving impalement like the bidoof's were less than zero, and worse, he might end up like the Lopunny. Time passed by. How long was it? A minute? An hour? He didn't really know. All he knew was that he's in that position for a long time.

He was so relieved when the Nidoking began to move away, to the west in particular. Once its distance is far enough, the Tyrogue moved his head. He examined his surroundings. The fire was now getting weaker, making the whole place darker than before. There were no enemies around. This was the perfect opportunity.

He crawled as fast as he can eastward. His hands and feet moved harmoniously, alternating from left to right. He passed several houses, or rather, what's remained of them. They're only ashes now, and the Tyrogue can vaguely make out several figures in them.

He entered the woods; he doesn't need to crawl here. He pushed himself against the ground, throwing himself in the air and landed on his feet. He quickly propelled himself, and the Tyrogue broke into a dead run.

The moon was nowhere in sight, making it difficult for him. He passed dozens of trees, some blocked his path; while others are aligned, creating a straight path. He tripped several times, and his face landed on the mossy ground. But he didn't stop, for he needed to get away as far as possible from his home. Sometimes, thorns pricked him from the vines that hung from the tall trees. Sometimes, sharp rocks pierced his feet, making the wounds earlier worse. But he didn't care, he just continued.

He has run a great distance now. His movements slowed, and he noticed that he's tired. Nevertheless, he didn't stop. But soon, he found that his vision was getting dimmer every second. He blinked several times, gaining nothing except to confirm that he's too weak to continue now. Sweat came out of him in torrents, and he gasped for air. He looked around, but all he saw were distorted images of trees, and darkness.

There was no light, just darkness around him. He could still hear screams from the distance. And as he faded away, those screams were the last he heard.

He blacked out.

* * *

Trance shot awake, his whole body sweltering. He longed for air, inhaling and exhaling hardly. Sweat covered his face, wetting the sheets of cloth that covered him. Was that just a nightmare?

But as badly as he wished it, it wasn't a nightmare. A quick look at where he was confirmed that. There was no sign of the forest, nor was there a sign of the mossy forest floor. Instead he was now lying on a bed, with a layer of white wool covered by sheets of the same color. It was elevated by four wooden legs, each twisted into a spiral design.

The walls around him were colored white, with a large stripe of black running on the bottom. A single flame burned from above, which was contained on a transparent glass sphere, providing light that is faintly reflected by the sleek black floor. And beside him, to the left, is a tall wooden table whose only noticeable characteristic was its gloss. Farther from it was a wooden door of deep brown. Where am I?

Memories of the past events suddenly flashed in his mind: the terror, the bloodshed, everything that he saw that night. The memories of those alone made tears well up in his eyes. 'What happened? Are they really dead? Why am I here?' The questions swirled in his mind, yet he has no answer to any of them. 'Why? Why?'

His train of thought was interrupted as Trance heard voices outside. They sound to be talking, and they're nearing the room. Trance can't hear the whole conversation at first, but he did once the sources got nearer. Trance decided to listen.

"I congratulate you on your success, Aytaro," a male voice said. "But, what happened? You seem a little injured when you came back, and then there's that Tyrogue..."

A younger voice replied, "Nothing too serious Guildmaster. Just some minor scratches here and there. Oh and uh, about the mission. It's just an ordinary reconnaissance at first, but 'en we came into this charred village. What's it called again? Ah! Enerite Village. Anyway, the whole place was charred. The entire population was wiped out, quite brutally too. I reckon they just left, so we decided to come back, but then we found this Tyrogue on our way. Its hidden in-"

"Slow down," the deeper voice interrupted. "Did you say Enerite Village? And there's a survivor?"

"Yeah. Turns out this one managed to flee, so I decided to take him here. But our journey back here got delayed because of that blasted Jolteon."

"Who?"

"A Jolteon. We were followed, it seems, and we thought that there's a bunch of them so we changed course a little to lose them. But, as it turns out, it's only a Jolteon that we managed to defeat later on."

There was a pause, as if the other voice was thinking. Even if they didn't specify, he knew that he was the one they were talking about. _No survivors? Not a single one?_ That thought instantly paralyzed him.

"Hmm, I see. Well, glad you're back. Now if you'll excuse me I have some business..." the deep voice said in a rather irritated tone. It gradually faded away, indicating that the owner is leaving.

There was a light knock at the door, and it slowly creaked open to reveal a rather small pokémon. The Aipom looked at the Tyrogue; then closed the door and bounded towards Trance. "You're awake! Glad you are! I was kinda getting worried since you're out cold for three days straight, but -." Aytaro then noticed the tears on Trance's face. "Oh. Sorry, you must've heard us. "

Aytaro waited for a response. None came. He decided to wait for some time, wanting to know his reaction before saying anything, but to no avail. There's one thing the Aipom was sure though: what the Tyrogue heard had a great impact. And that's true, because even Trance himself could tell that he was distraught. "You okay?" he asked. No response. Trance was frozen. The Aipom sighed, and sat beside the bed. "I'm really sorry about what happened, even if it's not my fault. Do you know what happened back there?" But all his inquiries fell into deaf ears, because it looked like Trance was pretending he wasn't there. The Tyrogue was in another world, with numerous emotions dancing in his face. Aytaro sighed, "Look, I'll give you some time to think. I'll come back later." Aytaro left him.

Everything Trance held back earlier -his fear, sadness - escaped from him once the Aipom closed the door. A tear trickled down his face, and he cried without a sound. Each quiet sob, each howls, protests and questions bounced off the wall; but there were no answers. The room was his only witness. His cries became louder, and occasionally turned into a quiet sob, but he didn't stop. He let it all out.

"Why?" Trance said in a quiet, hoarse voice. "Why? Why? Why did it have to happen? Why? WHY?!" His shout echoed throughout the room, and it may have been heard outside, but he didn't care. "Everyone's…. gone?" His statement was more of a laugh than a question. _"But I grew up there,_ he laughed, _'what did we do wrong?"_ Trance knew that there was no answer to that question, and all he could do was wonder. Wonder as complete silence enveloped the room and all he could do was stare at the wall.

* * *

Aytaro came back as promised, noticing Trance's sobs. The Aipom was carrying two apples with him, a food perfect for the starving Trance, but the Tyrogue still wouldn't look to him. He was still in the position Aytaro left him earlier, and the Aipom could feel the desolate atmosphere that have developed in the room. "Hey," Aytaro tried to catch his attention. Trance didn't respond, he didn't even acknowledge him. All he ever thought was his past inquiries. Nothing else entered his mind.

"My name's Aytaro," the Aipom said, hoping that Trance would talk to him once he introduced himself. "I was the one who saved you." The words passed through both the Tyrogue's ears, and were left with no reply. "Are you okay? Do you need something?" Still had no effect. Aytaro sighed through gritted teeth. "I'm not the best on these situations. You may think that I don't have any business with you, but can you please talk to me? I just want to help you." and the Aipom continued on his efforts, until hours later and he still had no progress. That's when he knew that his methods weren't going to work, and he promised to come back again. "Eat the apples can you even if it seems like the end for you, don't forget to take care of yourself."

He wondered how long he was in that state. His mind just went blank and before he knew it, hours have already passed. Trance didn't keep track of the time, but in the back of his mind he knew that it was the next day when someone came in. That could only be someone, the very same one who had visited him twice. Trance didn't know what to do. He had rudely ignored the Aipom twice now; but here he was again.

The Aipom sat beside Trance's feet, and thought for a moment. Trance didn't know it - because he wasn't looking at him - but Aytaro's mood instantly dropped the moment he began to talk. "You know," Aytaro began, "it's best to talk when you're grieving. I'm here to listen; you can say everything to me."

"Fighting - types are a pain when dealing with emotions huh? I'd say this, don't let the grief consume you." At this point, Trance's mind was clearer, and not numbed down like earlier. The Tyrogue could hear and understand every word coming from Aytaro. "I have…...an acquaintance once," Aytaro began. "He was just like you, so much like you that I'm a bit worried. He experienced a hard challenge too; hit him like a Tauros. And just because of that he set everything aside. He forgot himself, who he was - "

Trance listened to the story with his head down. Aytaro told the story of a traveller, he said that it was set years in the past. He told the story creatively that Trance didn't notice he became invested on the story, if only for a little bit. He wasn't ignoring the Aipom now, partly due to the fact that the Aipom was making an effort to help him. And then the story came to its end; Aytaro said something that he could relate to all too well. "The disaster left him with grief. He mourned for days, and it turned him into something else. He forgot who he was, he was so stuck in the past that it turned him into a monster." Or at least up until this part. " He exchanged many things to overcome the grief. He changed, and up to this day he doesn't know if it's for the better or the worst."

A flurry of emotions suddenly exploded inside Trance. His mind became active again, and he noticed that his companion, despite not showing it in his tone, has a tear running down his face..

Aytaro stood up. "I just wanted to share it to you. I'm not implying that you should forget what happened, but you should know that you must move on soon." Trance witnessed the Aipom shut the door lightly, and that event left him with no words.

Was the Aipom suggesting that he forget everyone he knew all his life? All of his friends?

His train of thought was interrupted by the strangest of sound. It made Trance wonder, until he realized that it was his own stomach. Days, it had to be days since he last ate, and he didn't notice it until now. He eyed the apples the Aipom left for him, and without hesitation gobbled them all up.

* * *

He was lying back on the grass. That day was quiet and peaceful. The shade of the trees provided cover while the wind made the grass dance under the sun. Numerous pokémon were wandering about everywhere, humming different tunes and talking to one another. The only other sound that can be heard was the chirping of Kricketots. He was contented with this life, and soon he found himself drifting to sleep. But a scream forced him to open his eyes, and when he looked around, he was horrified. The peaceful land where he was seconds ago turned into a living hell. The sky turned pitch - black, the grass where he laid dried up, and everyone ran as hurricanes of flames spawned on the land. The sun was no longer bright, it has turned into a shade of horrifying crimson that transformed every color into a shade of red. It wasn't round anymore, for every second he looked on it the more distorted it becomes. At first appeared a horn, then ears protruded from the sides, then glaring eyes appeared. He was staring at a gigantic head of a Nidoking, and as it crashed down everybody shrieked. The Nidoking opened its mouth, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Hey!"

He ran as everything in sight was eaten by the behemoth. The monster was fast, and in just mere seconds it was behind him.

"Hey!"

The monster swallowed him up, and all he could do was shriek.

"HEY!"

Trance was awoken forcefully by someone. It was Aytaro. Trance was breathing hard, with his heart racing like crazy. "Bad dream huh?" the Aipom stated.

'A dream, a dream, a dream,' Trance repeated. The nightmare terrified him, and it was evident in his shaking body.

"What happened? In your dream I mean," Aytaro tried to ask.

Trance only stared at him, earning a mildly irritated response from Aytaro. "You know, you can talk to me if you want. I promise I'll listen."

The Tyrogue considered his proposition for a moment. He looked down, and Aytaro thought he wouldn't respond. "Look - "

"Fire," Trance blurted out. "There's fire everywhere. Everyone's getting killed, and I -", he searched for words to describe what he witnessed. "They were killed, and I didn't do anything." Tears trickled down from him again. Aytaro patted his shoulder, trying to support the Tyrogue.

"It's horrible!", Trance continued. "What did we do wrong? Why? Why!?" He cried silently. Aytaro let him cry it out before saying, "Everything's fine now, everything will be."

"But they took everything away! My home, my friends, my -"

"But they didn't take your life did they? As long as you're alive, you can't say you don't have anything." Aytaro stated it with solemn. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't notice the situation faster, if I did I would've tried to save them, even if I can't." That shut Trance up. Aytaro sighed, "But it's too late now."

Trance didn't say anything until Aytaro sat at the edge. "I don't think I got your name."

"Trance," the Tyrogue replied. He stared into the distance. "How did I end here?"

"I saved you, together with a Zebstrika named Typstorm. That's why you're here resting at Guild Metallic."

"Why are we attacked?" Trance murmured. "Why -", he wiped the tears in his eyes, "did they destroy the village?"

"Why? We don't know, but one thing's for sure. It's related to the Delomelan War," Aytaro replied.

' _The war?_ ' Trance heard of the war before. His fellow villagers mentioned it a few times. The continent he lives in, Delomela, is under a civil war. Some said that it began only recently, others said otherwise. The two parts of the continent used to live in harmony, but for reasons unknown to ordinary pokémon, they started a war. Those made Trance laugh out of despair. "So it's really just because of that?" he asked, more to himself than to Aytaro.

"Look, I know it's hard for you to accept it, but pokémon die every day because of the war. Our soldiers just manage to prevent them invading the East, but many of them die in the process. So even if your village is saved, it will not be safe forever. Hell, this guild will join the soldiers one day if things get crazy."

"Then why didn't they prevent the destruction?" Trance inquired half - bitterly.

"We didn't expect them to attack there. Look, I've said it many times now, I'm sorry."

Trance looked at his eyes, and he could see that he was truthful. He sighed. "It's okay, it's not your fault. I'm sorry too, for how I behaved the past days." Aytaro gave him a radiant smile, "Apology accepted. So, we're good now?"

"Why? Why do you keep trying on cheering me up?" Trance inquired in a hushed tone, ignoring the question. He was slightly curious why the Aipom didn't give up, even if he had all the chances to.

Aytaro answered calmly, "You reminded me of someone. And besides, that's part of my job, and other reasons. So, are we good now?"

Trance contemplated the offer, and he bit back a sarcastic chuckle. _'We only knew each other for what? Two days?' But, I guess it's better than an instant.'_ "I guess?"

Aytaro's smile widened. "Great!"

But despite the development, Trance can't help but feel apprehensive. "What will I do now?"

"Oh?" Aytaro replied. "Come again?"

"What will I do now? Where will I live?" Trance answered. "Everything's gone for me after all," he said, the gloom coming back in his voice.

"Not everything. And you'd be staying here, we -" Aytaro paused for a moment and thought. "You're staying here. That's what the guildmaster and I agreed on. That's all that matters."

Trance noticed the pause, and he considered if there was another meaning to it, but he ignored it. After all, the Aipom made an effort to help him. He's gonna have to trust him for now. Hopefully, trusting him was a good idea. "So I'm going to stay in this room?", he asked with a bit of sarcasm.

"Of course not, this is a medical room! We have one for you, that's part of the agreement."

Trance chuckled for a bit, happy that they were helping him recover. That started a conversation between them, the most progress the Aipom made for the past days. Aytaro was glad that his efforts weren't all for naught, and he may have made another friend. Their talking lasted for more than an hour, with Aytaro usually doing the talking' and Trance would reply with only a few words. But the Aipom didn't complain, it's progress after all.

Their talk ended when Aytaro bid goodbye, saying that he had something to do. Trance's spirit was significantly lifted ever since they talked, although he's not completely recovered. The only problem he has now was that he was hungry. Aytaro didn't have food with him, but the Aipom assured him that someone will bring him food later. Trance expected it to be someone working in the guild, so it was fair to say he was surprised when he saw who it was.

A loud knock shattered the silence. Trance assumed it was that someone with food, so he got out of bed groggy. He opened the door with hesitation, expecting the pokémon on the other side to be roughly the same height as him, but its Aggron loomed over him. It had a smile plastered on its face, but instead of feeling comforted Trance can't help but feel nervous. There was some sort of creepiness on that smile. Trance recognized it the moment it spoke, "Hello there, little one." Two apples dropped from its claws, slightly startling the Tyrogue.

It was the same, deep voice he heard days ago, before he met Aytaro. Trance knew that this pokémon had some sort of authority, judging from its conversation with Aytaro. 'Could it be.. .'

"My name's Gress, the leader of this guild. I assume you're Trance?" Gress inquired.

Trance regained his composure and he nodded. The Aggron paused for a moment before it said, "Did Aytaro tell you you'd be staying here?"

"Y - yes," Trance stuttered when he replied. He was quite baffled as to why the Guildmaster asked that question, but all his questions were answered when Gress said something quite alarming. "Well, I'm sorry but not anymore. I've changed my mind. "

The statement rattled the Tyrogue. "But where would I-"

"Don't bother to make a point," Gress interrupted with a near shout. His voice shook the walls lightly, causing Trance to stop. "Aytaro didn't tell you the rules, did he?" Gress continued. "Listen, everyone staying here must work here. That's the rule. Now if Aytaro have some objections, he should see me. Understand!?"

Trance was taken aback by this development. Why was the Aggron angry? Did he do something to offend him? The Tyrogue didn't know what to say, he was clearly surprised. Was the Guildmaster this mean and inconsiderate?

Gress puffed out some air, "I hope you really understood what I just said." He stomped away from Trance, and when he was far enough said, "Unless you want to be a soldier, you won't stay here." That's something he had to tell Aytaro.

* * *

Aytaro came back after several hours. The Aipom looked tired, as if he was just from a long journey. "What?! Gress said that?" it seems Aytaro found it unbelievable. "But why?"

Trance shrugged while sighing, "Where would I go now?" The hopelessness was back in his voice.

"You're staying here. I'll talk to him," Aytaro assured. The Aipom let out an annoyed sigh, "I could be resting right now. What is the issue now?", he asked himself. "Come on, follow me."

* * *

The first sight that greeted him was a very long hallway, each side having numerous doors that have the same design as his room. There were around forty of them, and Trance ruled them as more medical rooms; nothing to see there. But as he is exiting the hallway, his eyes caught on to something interesting. A huge chandelier - like structure can be seen ahead, but its design is completely different from the chandeliers he knew. It has several sides, made entirely by what looked like silver, holding something glowing. But that's not all.

When he is finally out of the hallway, the sight before him left him speechless. He's inside a very huge dome filled with pokémon! The glowing thing turned out to be a hexagonal crystal. The entire building has two stories, and he is currently standing on the second floor. Or what can be considered as one. It has a space in the center, shaped like a horse shoe, guarded by metal rails and the ends transforming to stairs. On the same floor are several more hallways like the one he came from. The walls aren't average too. They are shiny sleek black with proportional streaks of gold running to the center. Between them are gems that glowed occasionally in varying colors. The black floor has a strange design : it has golden circles that are getting larger away from the center. In their spaces are several markings and colors, probably representing every type. In the middle of the floor is an elevated slab of rock which the pokémon avoid.

The pokémon inside the building varied in types and appearance, and they all seemed to be in a hurry. Some that stood out among the crowd were a Golem with a golden scarf and a Beedrill wearing armor. A Lairon crawled behind them; two Makuhitas are pushing each other as a Staravia flew past them.

Trance took some time to process all of it, temporarily distracting him. So this was Guild Metallic? It's very... rich. Who would use gems as decorations? They have to be crazy to do that!

They went to one of the hallways on ground level, and Trance noted that the gems were a lot more brilliant up close. Their colors were enchanting, as if they were meant to capture the souls of those who admire them. The two entered in an enormous doorway, with intricate designs of spiralling gold and silver outside. "This is where we eat. I'll get you some later, after we talk to Gress."

The room was enormous, quite packed to the brim with countless pokémon. Aytaro led him to a table in the corner, squirming through the crowd with difficulty. "Whatever you do, don't leave this place. I'll be right back," Aytaro instructed.

That gave Trance some time, so he settled on observing the other pokémon present around him. If he was going to be honest, he was a little thrilled by the opportunity. He can see different species before him, some of which he haven't seen before. But even if he was thrilled, he'll still choose the life back on the village over this. Sighing, he realized that he's about to be gloomy again, so he decided to continue looking around.

The food system was quite interesting. Everyone lined up according to their types, small pokémon first, big ones at the end. Psychic - types facilitated the whole room, maybe because of the convenience of telekinesis. 'That's...interesting.' He could see a Blaziken, a Makuhita talking to a Hariyama, and a Pidgey fluttering about. Everyone seems to be at peace, but then his eyes lay upon a particular species in the room. In just a second, everything around went black. All he could see was the creature in front of him. He felt his legs move, leaving the area Aytaro told him not to. That marked the moment he wasn't aware of anything. His arms punched and scratched; he was just feeling so much anger at the creature. He's not sure what happened, or what's happening but he could tell that he was conscious, just not in control. Trance heard a scream, then some shouting and muffled orders from the pokémon around.

"Hey what's happening?!"

"Wha - ouch!"

"Stop him!"

"Hey you! Stop this instant!"

"Somebody do something!"

But those didn't stop his onslaught. His enemy resisted him, making Trance attack even more. There were more shouts and the next thing Trance knew was that he was on the floor; looking at the ceiling. There's something moist in his body, and it's flowing out. _'Wha - ?'_ Several heads popped in on his line of vision. They were staring at him, and even talking about him.

"Restrain him!", someone shouted. Two long vines immediately coiled around his body. The vines pinned him down, and he can't free himself. _'Why?! What did I do?!'_ Trance tried to break free, but it was futile.

All conversations around him suddenly stopped, and Trance knew why. He could feel it, thunderous stomps heading to the area. Was it Gress? It could be, it was the same as earlier.

"SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED HERE!" He was right, it was Gress, a very pissed Gress. "What is this?!" His shout sent tremors, shaking the whole building up.

Was he in trouble? Someone - a female - replied to Gress, "That Tyrogue over there attacked Bastione, Guildmaster." Who? Wait, he attacked someone? If only he could break free from the vines. The Aggron approached Trance, looking down on him. "Of course, the little one. And what MIGHT be the reason WHY?!"

Trance gulped and tried to answer, "I -"

"What on Arceus's plates happened here?!" The interruption came from Aytaro, although Trance couldn't see where he was. All heads turned to the Aipom; some chatterings started. "Aytaro! Come here!", ordered Gress. "You! Release him!"

The vines around the Tyrogue loosened. Trance immediately stood up, noticing the fresh wounds on his body. But that's not the only thing new. The tables around him were destroyed. The floor had scratches all over, and leaves littered it. _'Did I do this?'_

Confusion can be seen across Aytaro's face, because he too had no idea what happened. "Trance, what's going on?"

* * *

Notes: That wraps up the second chapter. I'm afraid I'm not too confident with it, because I don't think I handled Trance's grief well.

This story was originally posted six months ago, but I just didn't have the time to continue it back then. But now I have more time so expect the next chapter 7 - 12 days after I update.


End file.
